Claddagh Gemstone Earrings for St. Patrick's Day

- Amethyst & Unakite, Celtic Fede Gift of Love -

These lovely Claddagh earrings feature silver "crowned heart in hands" love charms, purple amethyst gemstones, green unakite, and Swarovski clear cystals. The charms are from TierraCast (made in the USA) and are silver-on-pewter hoops with the Irish hands and heart symbol forming the bottom center of the hoops. These are nicely detailed charms and eye-catching.

To ornament these charms, I drew on my experiences visiting Ireland, remembering time spent exploring the Irish countryside amid the purple heather and rich green of late summer. To represent the first, I used faceted amethyst beads; for the greenery, I decided on unakite, which has variegated green coloring along with salmon touches and mineral nodules. The meaning of this gemstone—unity—influenced my choice.

Also included with these Ireland-inspired earrings are Swarovski clear crystals (made in Austria), sterling silver rondelles (made in Italy), rhodium-on-pewter spacers (made in USA), silver plate pins, and sterling silver ear hooks. The length here is about 2 inches with the hooks.

These pretty and meaningful Celtic love earrings would make a perfect gift for someone special—a mother and grandmother as well as a wife or girlfriend. Anyone who loves Ireland would also find them meaningful. They were handmade by me with great care, thought, and best wishes for their destined wearer. They come on a PrettyGonzo earring card and in a nice organza bag, wrapped and ready for gifting to that someone special—or to yourself!

ABOUT THE CLADDAGH
This Irish symbol originated in the Claddagh area of Galway, at one time a separate village from the city. The symbol was traditionally used in Ireland to embellish "fede" rings, which date back to ancient Rome and were common in Europe after the Dark Ages. Fede rings typically include the image of joined hands, a symbol of love's pledge and loyalty. Like most rings of this kind, the Claddagh served as an engagement ring or a wedding band—and still does. Today the symbol is also used in various kinds of jewelry and may express friendship or maternal love as well as romantic love. As for the symbolic image, the Claddagh consists of two hands holding a regally crowned heart; the hands represent friendship, with the crown standing for loyalty atop a loving heart. Among the sentiments connected with the Claddagh is the saying "Let love and friendship reign."

ABOUT UNAKITE & AMETHYST
Unakite is traditionally considered a healing gem of positive connection and energy. It is also seen as a stone of connection and unity, which dovetails with the meaning of the Claddagh charms. The term "epidote" comes from the Greek "epidosis," which means "growing together." It is associated with the heart chakra.

A member of the quartz family, amethyst is often considered a protective, talismanic stone. It is associated with the crown chakra and is the birthstone for February. Amethysts are crystals and often have inclusions, clouding, and other interesting elements to them, as well as various shadings of their distinctive purple color.

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Our Lady of Knock & St. Patrick Rosary Bracelet

- Queen of Ireland Chaplet, Prayer Beads -

This Our Lady of Knock rosary bracelet has a color design inspired by Ireland, offering a vibrant combination of green quartzite beads, purple amethyst rounds, and Swarovski emerald and yellow bicone crystals. The quartzite is a beautiful shade of green (added to the natural stone and heat enhanced), reminiscent of the verdant Irish countryside in summer. The amethysts represent the glory of summer heather, and the yellow crystals call to mind the yellow gorse whose hue, a complement of purple, always makes the heather look vibrantly pretty. The emerald crystals are included as an appropriately sparkly symbol of the Emerald Isle.

The holy medal, made in Italy of base metal, is a beautifully detailed two-sided oval. It presents Our Lady of Knock on the front and the patrician figure of St. Patrick on the back. This bracelet is thus a wonderful chaplet for devotion to the saint as well as the Virgin Mary. The holy card shown in my photos is a complimentary item. I bought it at La Salette National Shrine in MA, a sweet place of peace and contemplation.

Also included in these Catholic prayer beads are:
• Small faceted amethyst rounds 
• TierraCast silver-plated daisy spacers
• Sterling silver crimps and wire guards
• A silver tone 1.25-inch extension chain  
• Silver-plated lobster clasp (12mm)  • High-quality 49-strand beading wire
All the above except the amethyst and extension chain were made in the USA. The length of chaplet bracelet is approximately 7.25 inches, not counting the extender chain.
 
An inspirational piece of religious jewelry, this special rosary chaplet would make a perfect gift for anyone who is engaged in Marian devotion and loves Ireland. Vibrant, sparkly, and unique, it was handmade by me with great care, thought, and best wishes for its destined wearer. It comes in a pretty organza bag, wrapped and ready for gifting to someone who will love it—perhaps you!

ABOUT OUR LADY OF KNOCK
Our Lady of Knock is also known as the Queen of Ireland. Both are titles given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in association with her 1879 apparition in the town of Knock, County Mayo, Ireland. The vision occurred on a rainy August evening near the south wall of the town's Catholic church, and was first witnessed by a rectory housekeeper, Mary McLoughlin, and a friend's sister, Mary Byrne. That area of the church grounds, including the wall, glowed with a beautiful light, revealing an apparition of Our Lady, who looked life-sized and was flanked by two smaller visionary figures, St. Joseph and St. John. Mary Byrne hurried home to gather her family and bring them to the site. Other townspeople soon joined them. Travelers at a far distance also noticed the strange light around the church. After three hours or so, the vision and the light slowly disappeared. Unlike many other Marian visitations, such as those in Fatima, this one involved no auditory communication.

The Catholic Church is typically conservative in its confirmation of sacred visions, and in this case, the diocese suggested that a certain Protestant constable had played a joke on them. The people of the Knock refused to accept that theory, though. Soon many others in Ireland heard about the visitation, and the following year, Knock became a pilgrimage site. Two years after that, an archbishop from Toronto visited the site and later claimed that Our Lady of Knock had healed him of an illness. In 1936, Mary Byrne, now age 86, was interviewed by Church representatives. Her experience at Knock had been related to Catholic authorities back in 1879, and now remained exactly the same.

In 1971, the apparition of Knock was approved as "quite probable" by the Church. Although the vision has never been fully confirmed, the church at Knock is a popular draw for Irish believers as well as Catholic visitors to Ireland. My own visit there was a contemplative experience, and that the weather was "soft," with misty rain, seemed quite appropriate. In my listing, I've included a picture I took there, of the new church—Our Lady Queen of Ireland—which was built in 1976 at the visitation site. The statues in in the photo were added to the church in 1994.

ABOUT QUARTZITE
This crystal is traditionally considered a stone of stabilization, especially during times of many changes or great change. It is thought to help still overactivity and calm the mind and body. Such stillness facilitates a clearer perspective on one's life and an inner balance.

ABOUT AMETHYST
Amethyst is considered a stone of protection that deflects negative influences, lowers stress, and calms the mind. It is also seen as a highly spiritual stone that nurtures inner peace and spiritual awareness. Amethyst is the birthstone for February.

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Celtic Knot Triquestra Boho Dangle Earrings

- Amethyst, Carnelian, Rainforest Jasper Gemstones -

These earthy Celtic knot gemstone earrings are inspired by the Irish countryside and perfect for gift giving to anyone who loves Ireland. Their boho chic styling gives them a nice versatility for dressy or casual wear. The main feature of these handmade dangles are two oval rainforest jasper beads, one on each earring. This gemstone has variations in color shading as well as inclusions of quartz and other minerals; thus each bead is a one-of-a-kind creation of Mother Nature. These two beads complement each other well and are interesting in their patterning.

Under the jasper ovals dangle the Celtic knot charms, small but shiny and beautifully detailed with a triple loop eternal knot, also known as a triquestra or Celtic triad. Above the ovals are faceted amethyst and faceted carnelian beauties. Also included in these earrings are sterling silver round beads and beadcaps and sterling silver earring hooks with clear ear guards.

The length here is just under 2.25 inches, including the earring hooks.

Unique and eye-catching, these eternal knot gemstone earrings were designed and handmade beaded by me with care, thought, and best wishes for their destined wearer. They come on a PrettyGonzo earring card and in a lovely organza bag, wrapped and ready for gifting!

ABOUT THE CELTIC TRIAD SYMBOL
The Celtic triad symbol, aka the triquestra, is frequently found in Irish Christian art, including the Book of Kells, where it symbolizes the Holy Trinity. In this way, it is similar to the shamrock, which Saint Patrick employed in his teachings on the Trinity. The triad is typically incorporated in the building of other images, such as the Cross. As an ancient pagan symbol, it has possible connections to the Celtic Brigid, a triple-aspect goddess that some believe is an earlier, pre-Christian precursor of Saint Brigid. It may also represent the Maiden, Mother, and Crone aspect of the Goddess in neo-Paganism. Generally, it's a symbol of "threeness" - from love, hope and charity to childhood, adulthood, and old age. In any form, it has an illustrious history and is quite meaningful.

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Celtic Triple Spiral Boho Statement Necklace

- Pewter Triskele, Leather Beaded Cord -

This Celtic leather necklace offers unique boho styling that features a bold triskele pendant, lovely carnelian gemstones, green aventurine rondelles, Mykonos Greek ceramic beads, and decorative pewter spacer beads. The triskele is an ancient triple-spiral symbol, and associated with the triple goddess and eternity. Here the symbol becomes an eye-catching statement in a lead-free pewter focal.

To adorn the triskele, I used earthy green beads, brown leather cording, and rich orange-red carnelian. These choices are a small tribute to Ireland, whose beautiful fields and woods were on my mind when designing this piece. The carnelian beads are warmly inviting. They lend a color complement to the green shades of the aventurine rondelles, which are a pale delicate color, and the Greek ceramic beads, which bring a deep forest green and bright lime to the necklace. The pewter spacers contribute glints of metallic shine. Included on the necklace strand are pairs of "eye beads," which have been considered a talisman against the "evil eye" since ancient times.

The genuine leather cord is rounded and was made in the USA. A stainless steel chain acts as an extender, adding two inches to the necklace's basic length of 29.5 inches. For a colorful touch, I attached a deerskin leather tassel to the chain's last link and beaded it.

With its triple-spiral triskele pendant, Ireland-inspired colors, and shiny pewter beads, this Celtic statement necklace would make a meaningful addition to any jewelry collection. It's a unique piece of Bohemian styling that was handmade by me with care, thought, and best wishes for its destined wearer. It comes wrapped in an eco-friendly box, all set for gifting to someone who loves symbolic, statement-making jewelry. Perhaps that someone will be you!

About the Triskele
This is a triple spiral symbol that dates back to pre-Celtic times and is most often associated with Ireland. Triskeles and other spirals are carved into the ornately decorated curbstone at Newgrange, one of the outstanding neolithic passage graves in Ireland's Boyne Valley, dating back to 2500–3200 B.C. It was adopted as a symbol of the Holy Trinity and eternity by Irish Celtic Christians. In contemporary paganism, the triskele often represents the land, sky, and sea. The triple goddess can also be symbolized by the triple spiral. Alternately known as the triskelion, it is an ancient symbol of Sicility as well, and was used in ancient Greek pottery as a heraldic motif on the shields of warriors.

About Carnelian 
A rich and regal-looking gemstone, carnelian has been used for jewelry since ancient times. Traditional beliefs associate it with healing, courage building, fear dispelling, and protection against negative forces (as a talisman).

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Claddagh Dangle Earrings with Amethyst
- Celtic Fede Gift of Love  -

These lovely Claddagh earrings feature silver "crowned heart in hands" love charms, purple amethyst gemstones, green unakite, and Swarovski cystals. The charms, from TierraCast (made in the USA), are silver-on-pewter hoops with the Irish hands-and-heart symbol forming the lower center of the hoops. The charms are well detailed and nicely visible without being too heavy.

To ornament these charms, I drew on my experiences visiting Ireland, remembering time spent exploring the Irish countryside amid the purple heather and rich green of late summer. To represent the first, I used faceted amethyst beads; for the greenery, I decided on unakite, which has variegated green coloring along with salmon touches and mineral nodules. The meaning of this gemstone—unity—influenced my choice.

Also included with these earrings are Swarovski sparkling bicone crystals, sterling spacer beads (made in Italy), rhodium-on-pewter knobbed spacer beads (made in USA), and sterling silver ear hooks. The length here is 2 inches, including the hooks.

These pretty and meaningful Celtic love earrings would make a perfect gift of love for a mother, grandmother, wife, or girlfriend. Anyone who loves Ireland would also find them special. They were handmade by me with care, thought, and best wishes for their destined wearer. They come in a nice organza bag, wrapped and ready for gifting!

About the Claddagh
This Irish symbol originated in the Claddagh area of Galway, at one time a separate village from the city. The symbol was traditionally used in Ireland to embellish "fede" rings, which date back to ancient Rome and were common in Europe after the Dark Ages. Fede rings typically include the image of joined hands, a symbol of love's pledge and loyalty. Like most rings of this kind, the Claddagh served as an engagement ring or a wedding band—and still does. Today the symbol is also used in various kinds of jewelry and may express friendship or maternal love as well as romantic love. As for the image of the symbol, the Claddagh depicts two hands holding a regally crowned heart; the hands represent friendship, with the crown standing for loyalty atop a loving heart. Among the sentiments connected with the Claddagh is the saying "Let love and friendship reign."

About Unakite & Amethyst
Unakite is traditionally considered a healing gem of positive connection and energy. It is also seen as a stone of connection and unity, which dovetails with the meaning of the Claddagh charms. The term "epidote" comes from the Greek "epidosis," which means "growing together." It is associated with the heart chakra.

A member of the quartz family, amethyst is often considered a protective, talismanic stone. It is associated with the crown chakra and is the birthstone for February. Amethysts are crystals and often have inclusions, clouding, and other interesting elements to them, as well as various shadings of their distinctive purple color. 

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